Cercis Plant Named &#39;NC2017-8&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of  Cercis  plant, referred to by its cultivar name ‘NC2017-8’, is disclosed. The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program. Plants of the new variety provide purple-colored flowers and exhibit small and purple colored foliage. The new variety displays a moderately slow growing, profuse branching, weeping and compact growth habit.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Number 63/257,274 filed on Oct. 19, 2021, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Cercis canadensis.

Variety denomination: ‘NC2017-8’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Cercis plant botanically known as Cercis canadensis and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘NC2017-8’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Jackson Springs, N.C. in 2011.

The new Cercis cultivar is the result of a controlled cross wherein two parents were crossed which previously had been studied in the hope that they would contribute the desired characteristics. The female parent (i.e., the seed parent) of the new cultivar is Cercis ‘Ruby Falls’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,097. The male parent (i.e., the pollen parent) of the new cultivar is Cercis ‘Ace of Hearts’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,161.

The parentage of the new variety can be summarized as follows:

‘Ruby Falls’x‘Ace of Hearts’

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and small plants were obtained which were physically and biologically different from each other. Selective study in 2017 in a controlled environment in Jackson Springs, N.C. resulted in the identification of a single plant of the new variety, which was selected for its purple-colored flowers, small purple-colored foliage, and moderately slow growing, profuse branching, weeping and compact growth habit.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by chip budding since 2017 in Belvidere, Tenn. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘NC2017-8’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Cercis plant:

-   -   (a) Purple-colored flowers,     -   (b) Small, purple-colored foliage; and     -   (c) Moderately slow growing, profuse branching, weeping and         compact growth habit.

The new variety of the present invention can readily be distinguished from its ancestors. More specifically, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Ruby Falls’ (i.e., the seed parent) primarily in having a more open to spreading weeping habit and smaller leaf size. In addition, plants of ‘Ace of Hearts’ (i.e., the pollen parent) exhibit green colored foliage and display a compact, dense and dome-shaped growth habit, whereas plants of the new variety exhibit purple colored foliage and display a weeping growth habit.

Moreover, the new variety can be readily distinguished from other similar non-parental varieties. Of the many commercially available Cercis cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Merlot’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,297. However, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Merlot’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a more compact growth habit         than plants of ‘Merlot’.     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have more textured leaves than         plants of ‘Merlot’.     -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have a weeping growth habit which         differs from the non-weeping growth habit of ‘Merlot’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type the typical growth habit of the new cultivar. Colors in the photograph differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘NC2017-8’. The plant in the photograph was approximately four years old and was growing in a test field in Cochranville, Pa.

The drawing illustrates a side view of ‘NC2017-8’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from chip budding and grown outside in Raleigh, N.C. Plants were approximately three years of age. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Cercis canadensis cultivar NC2017-8. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Cercis ‘Ruby Falls’, U.S. Plant Pat. No.             22,097.         -   Male parent.—Cercis ‘Ace of Hearts’, U.S. Plant Pat. No.             17,161. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Chip budding. -   Plant description:     -   -   Type.—Deciduous perennial tree.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately slow             growing, weeping, compact tree.         -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 1.5 years from budding             to finish as a 2 to 3-foot tree.         -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 6b.         -   Size.—Height of 3-year-old tree: Approximately 4 feet.             Width: Approximately 4.9 feet.         -   Trunk.—Texture: slightly rough. Color: 201B.         -   Branches.—Densely branched. Branching habit:             multi-branching, weeping architecture. Strength: Moderately             strong. Diameter of one-year old growth: Approximately             5.0 mm. Stem Length of one-year old shoots: 22.5 cm.             Internode length: 1.6 cm on average. Stem Shape: Circular.             Growth pattern: slightly zigzag, deviating less than 5             degrees from vertical at each node. Texture of new growth:             Slightly rugose. Color of young stem: N77A. Color of mature             stem: previous seasons growth is N200B. Lenticel: numerous,             tiny. Lenticel length: Less than 1.0 mm. Lenticel shape:             circular to slightly elongate. Lenticel color: 197C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Deciduous. Arrangement:             Alternate.         -   Leaves.—Shape of mature leaves: Cordate. Apex: Distinctly             pointed. Base: Cordate. Margin: Entire. Length to base of             sinus: Approximately 4.0 cm. Length to end of lobe:             Approximately 4.7 cm. Sinus indentation: Approximately             0.8 cm. Width: Approximately 4.2 cm. Texture of upper and             lower surfaces: Slightly rugose. Venation pattern:             Reticulate. Color of upper surface of mature foliage: N77A             with indistinguishable venation. Color of under surface of             mature foliage: N77B with venation of 147B. Color of upper             and lower surfaces of immature foliage: 59A with             indistinguishable venation. Fragrance: None detected.         -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 2.5 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             N77A. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering season.—Flowers in early spring for about 2-3             weeks depending on weather conditions.         -   General description.—Form: Fasicle. Flower Arrangement:             Sessile clusters. Symmetry: Bilateral symmetry. Type:             Papilionaceous. Quantity per cluster: 5 per cluster on             average. Flower length: 7.0 mm on average. Flower width             across wings at anthesis: 4.0 mm on average. Flower depth             (bottom of keel petals to top of wings): 4.0 mm on average.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: slightly elongate. Diameter:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Color:             59B. Texture: Glabrous.         -   Petals.—Quantity: 5, unfused. Texture of upper and lower             surfaces: Glabrous. Color of banner, wings, and keel base             when first and fully open: 73A. Color of keel tip when first             and fully open: 61B.         -   Calyx.—Shape: vase-shaped. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm at             top of hypanthium. Length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Color of             outer surface: 59B. Texture of inner and outer surfaces:             Glabrous.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Fused.         -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong. Shape: Round. Length:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Diameter: Less than 1.0 mm. Texture:             Glabrous. Color: 60B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             10 on average, unfused. Stamen length: Approximately 4.0 mm.             Stamen width: Less than 1.0 mm. Anther shape: Round. Anther             color: 65A. Filament length: Approximately 4.0 mm. Filament             width: Less than 1.0 mm. Filament color: 65A. Pollen amount:             Sparse. Pollen color: 11B. Gynoecium: Pistil length:             Approximately 4.0 mm on average. Pistil width: Less than             1.0 mm. Pistil texture: Glabrous. Stigma shape: Round.             Stigma color: 59D. Stigma length: Less than 1.0 mm. Stigma             width: Less than 1.0 mm. Style shape: Round. Style width:             Less than 1.0 mm. Style color: 59A. Ovary position:             Superior. Ovary shape: Elongate. Ovary length: Less than             1.0 mm. Ovary width: Less than 1.0 mm. Ovary color: 59A.         -   Seed production.—None observed to date.         -   Disease and pest resistance.—Plants of the new Cercis have             not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common             to Cercis. 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Cercis plant named ‘NC2017-8’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 